Swings & Slides
by the-angel-of-words
Summary: Another installment from "A Little Angel." Erik and Christine go to the park after school.


"Erik, can we please go to the park today?"

Christine tugged at his hand as they walked along the sidewalk. It had been two weeks since Erik started showing up at school each afternoon to walk her home. The first time he appeared, his white mask peeking from behind the iron-wrought fence that surrounded the school, Christine thought she was dreaming. Erik never approached the school like that. And yet he greeted her with a smile once the other children had left and offered to carry her backpack. The third day, Christine asked him if he wanted to go with her to the park, but he quickly refused. Every time she asked, he either simply said no or made up an excuse to get home.

On this particular afternoon though, Christine looked longingly up at the cloudless sky and tightened her hand around Erik's. She gave him a pleading look and stepped in the direction of the park. Erik sighed and hefted both backpacks higher onto his shoulder.

"Can't we just go to my house and play video games or something?"

"No! It's so nice outside. And I'm tired of those games. Please? We don't have to stay too long."

"You can go without me, you know," he said with a shrug.

"Why would I do that? I want to have fun with you. Please?" she begged again.

Erik took a step towards her, as though to follow, but stopped. "I don't like the park. The kids-"

"There won't be a lot today. That carnival's still in town. I heard all my friends at school talking about going."

"Did your dad say anything about that big stuffed horse I won for you?" he asked with a smile.

Christine laughed. "Not really. He just told me it was silly and to keep it in my room. Now come on, let's go!"

"Okay, okay. Just for a little while."

Christine jumped and smiled before tugging him towards the park. The green field punctuated by large oak trees rose into view as they walked. At the center lay a large playground, its metal poles and slides all vibrantly colored with rich hues. Only a few children were there, and Erik saw with relief they were all younger than them. He relaxed and followed Christine more eagerly towards the swings. He set their backpacks down and smiled when he saw she had already taken a seat on the closest swing.

"Gimme a push?"

"Sure." Erik moved behind her and gently placed his hands at her waist. With a sturdy shove, she sailed forward. Each time she swung back into him, Erik pushed her a little harder. Soon Christine was rising high above his head, her laughter filling the air. With one final push, Christine swung her legs and jumped out of the swing to land firmly on her feet. The empty swing wobbled and lazily found its way back to Erik's hands. He caught it with a laugh.

"You flew!"

Christine nodded and pointed to the bigger playground equipment. "Let's go on that now."

"Okay. I'll follow you."

They climbed up a green ladder to find several platforms with hidden puzzles and even a trap door that led to the ground below. Erik dangled his head through it and laughed as the blood rushed to his head. He caught his mask just as it started to slide off. Christine pulled him upright.

"Let's go down the big slide."

"The blue one over there?" Erik pointed.

"Yeah! I've never gone down that one before. I've always been too scared."

Erik looked at it again and realized it was a tube slide. The dark color no doubt made it dark inside. He raised an eyebrow in thought.

"Why does it scare you? It's just a slide."

Christine shrugged. "I'm always afraid I'll get my legs tangled and get stuck or something."

"I'll go first then to make sure it's okay."

"Okay," she said with a smile. Grabbing his hand, she led the way towards the top of the blue slide.

Erik sat at the top and looked up at her with a smile. "See you at the bottom?"

Christine nodded and he immediately shoved himself forward. After waiting a few seconds, she sat down and repeated the motion. The blue darkness surrounded her as she rocketed forward. Before she could even start to become frightened, a circle of light appeared at her feet and she tumbled to the sand.

"Hey, that was fun," she giggled. But Erik was not there. Christine climbed to her feet and dusted off her jeans while looking around. She spotted him off to the side, only about ten feet away from her, but her breath caught. He was on the ground and inching away from a much larger boy.

"Erik!"

The larger boy didn't even look up as Christine rushed over towards them. Instead he grabbed Erik by the shirt and tore his mask away with his other hand. The scream that came from Erik's lungs was almost inhuman. The boy merely laughed and threw the mask aside.

"You are ugly, aren't you? Do you kiss your mother with that face?"

Erik struggled against the boy's grip, but it was no use. He was twice Erik's size and rather strong-looking. Despite that, Christine ran up to him and gave him a great shove.

"Hey! Let him go!"

"Oh, is this your girlfriend? She's too pretty for you."

The boy's words made Erik go limp; he lowered his eyes and looked away from both of them. Christine, on the other hand, only became infuriated. With a shout, she swung her foot as hard as possible into the boy's shin. Her sturdy sneaker shot a wave of pain up the boy's leg, and he dropped Erik with a sharpy cry of agony. He gripped his shin and glared at Christine.

"I'll get you for that," he snarled.

"Come and get me then!"

The boy lunged at Christine, but she moved out of the way. His arms closed around empty space as she ducked behind him. As he started to turn, Christine kicked him again in the ankle. The boy yelped and grabbed at his leg.

"Do you kiss that freak's face? I bet you do. I hope you don't get some gross disease from him!" The boy stood tall and moved towards her.

Christine threw a punch at his jaw, but he caught her wrist mid-air. The look on his face was sickening.

"I bet you'll look just like him if you kiss him enough!"

Christine gritted her teeth and said, "Shut up."

The boy laughed and tightened his grip on her wrist. "Freak lover," he proclaimed.

"I told you to shut up!" Christine swung her leg again, this time connecting her knee with his groin.

"Ooph!" The boy released her and crumpled to the ground, his hands darting to the front of his pants. His face turned red and he coughed again and again.

Christine stood in front of him and pulled at his hair. "Leave us alone, or I'll do it again!"

The boy didn't answer; his eyes filled with tears from the agony. The second Christine released him, he climbed to his feet and rushed into the distance. Once he was gone, Christine turned to look at Erik. He was still on the ground, but now he bent over his knees to press his face towards the ground.

"Erik?"

He didn't move other than to press his hand harder against his scars.

Christine looked around for his mask. It lay a few feet away, half-buried in the sand. She lifted it in her hands and wiped it clean with the length of her shirt. With a careful touch to his shoulder, she held it out to him.

"Here."

Erik quickly took it and pulled it back onto his face. Nevertheless, he kept his head lowered and his hand over the mask.

"Erik. He's gone." Christine wrapped her arm around his shoulders.

"Are you sure?" he finally squeaked.

Christine looked around in a pointed motion and then nodded. "Yeah. He ran home. I made him cry."

He finally looked up at her. "You did?"

"Yeah. I wasn't going to let him be mean to us like that."

"It's what they always do."

"Who?"

"Bigger kids. They always take my mask away and call me names."

"Well, they better not when I'm with you. I'll make them all cry!"

"They always find me," he shrugged. "That's why I stay home."

"I'll stay with you. We can play video games every day if you want."

"I just wish they would stop being mean to me." He stared at the ground and picked at the tongue on his sneaker. "I can't wait til I'm big enough so they won't hurt me."

Christine hugged him. "Come on, let's go home. Maybe my dad will let you stay for supper."

Erik climbed to his feet and dusted the sand off his shirt. "Okay." As he walked to retrieve their backpacks though, Christine saw him wipe another tear from his cheek. He returned with a blank look on his face. "Let's go."

"Erik?"

He turned and stared at her.

"Are you okay?"

He shrugged again and looked at his shoes. "I guess. Just don't tell my mom."

"Why?

"She won't let us play together anymore."

"But why? I didn't do anything. I didn't hurt you!"

"I know. But she won't let me get hurt. No matter what."

Christine fought to keep from crying. "I don't want us to stop being friends, Erik."

"Me either. So don't tell her, okay?"

"Okay. I promise."

Erik finally smiled and took her by the hand as they started to walk home. "You're an angel."


End file.
